Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-08
THE BLUE AND CRIMSON.
YALE DEFEATS THE HARVARDS IN
THE ANNUAL BOAT RACE.
The Crimson Takes the Lead But is Quick
1y Overhauled by the Blue, who Come
In over Five Lengths Ahead-Large
Crowds and Great Enthusiasm.

New LONDON, Conn, July The 18th
annual four mile straight away race be-
tween the eight-oared crews representing
Yale and Harvard was rowed this even
ing over the Thames river course from
Gales ferry to Winthrops point and was
won by Yale by five and half lengths.
The official time of Yale is 22:56, Harvard's
%. 1917. The attendance was unprece-
dented. Thursday night hotels and board
ing house were filled and every train
and steamboat brought large delegations.
Thei scenes along the course from the
start to the finish were very striking The
crowd who saw the race is estimated at
$1,000. The water was in excellent CON
dition nearly slack and ruffled only by
slight westerly breeze blowing across
the course. At Ill Harvard pushed off
from her float and padded over toward
the starting point. Yale was late
and did not leave the float until us. The
crews got into position, Yale having the
west and Harvard the east course. This
was 1ale's vantage point, but it proved of
little real benefit. AT FPS the word was
given, both crews catching water very
quickly, Harvard gaining slight advan-
tage. Both crews started at Sc stroke,
but after the first minute dropped to 80
from Yale and in the first eighth of mile
led by a half length. Both crews were
! pulling in perfect form and the excite
ment was intense. Yale's powerful stroke,
however, soon sent her shell up inch by
! inch until at the half mile flag both boats
were bow to bow. Both crews were pull
ing in fine form the oar movement of each
! crew beng as one man.
| Just after passing the half-mile flag
Yale dropped her stroke to 30, Harvard
. Il ~.
| ing in this half (the second) was very
fine. Both crews were putting in their
best efforts, but Yale's slow stroke proved
more effective and her boat crept slowly to
the front and as they passed the mile in 500
and 523 Yale was Just showing clear water
ahead of Harvard's boat. The second half
mile was the fastest of the race, Yale do
| ing il in 1924 aud Harvard in 2:29 All
through the third half Yale kept her
stroke down to 81 and 80 while Harvard
was pulling "a and 35. AS they neared the
! navy yard Hale began to forge ahead and
showed 90 feet of clear water between
the boats. Up to this point the race had
been one of the most holly contested ever
rowed between the crews from these two
colleges.
OF the navy yard Harvard spurted and
made grand effort to close the gap, but
Yale responded nobly and at the two mile
flag had increased the lead to a length and
half, passing that point in 1l;O9i9 Har-
ward in ll:l4H. At this point the race was
practically settled. Yale was pulling in
excellent FORM her powerful stroke send
ing the boat along at rafting gait Har
ward was also pulling in good form, but
the stroke seemed to have lost its effect
iveness. In the fifth half Yale gained five
seconds, and having the race well in hand
dropped the stroke to 80 and 81, Harvard
rowing 80 and "a. In the sixth half Yale
made an additional gain of seven and one
half seconds and passed the three mile flag
in 14:l4 with a lead of four lengths
1t began to look like a procession. es-
pecially as in the seventh half Yale added
fifth length to her credit and passing
the 80 mile flag in % minutes TO Har-
wards 2Ol915. In the last half mile Har-
! ward made desperate effort TO lessen
Nale's lead but 1t was of little avail. Yale
, maintained her slow swinging stroke,
paying very little attention to what Har-
ward was doing and dashed across the
finishing line in 22:55, a easy winner by
four or five lengths, Harvard's time
23:l0 1-2. When Yale men stopped row.
ing G ill who pulled No2 fell back in his
seat exhausted being over come by strain
and excitement.
Immediately after the race the Yale
! crew returned to New Haven to celebrate
while the Harvard men in the town kept
very quiet. The Yale crew were taken to
the Pequot House and given a supper.
The betting was unusually heavy, over
$4,000 being held by the Croker House
= proprietors and enough outside bet, were
made to carry the amount to over $4,000.
The Harvard men, who backed the crew
on the strength of the phenomenal time
made Monday afternoon when they had
the benefit of a three foot treshet, were
very badly bitten.